By Team INVC | INVC NEWS
NEW DELHI, India | September 13, 2026 —
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I takes center stage at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday as Shreyas Iyer-led India begin a three-match series with major selection decisions, Sanju Samson back in contention and Afghanistan preparing to unleash a formidable spin attack led by Rashid Khan.
The opening T20I will be played in Delhi on September 13, with the second and third matches scheduled at the same venue on September 15 and September 17.
Afghanistan is officially hosting the series in India.
The first match carries added interest because India’s team management must make important calls at the top of the order. Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provide multiple opening combinations.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan enters the contest with experienced match-winners including Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I today
The series opener gives India another opportunity to test combinations ahead of a busy international calendar.
Shreyas Iyer will captain India, while Tilak Varma serves as vice-captain.
Afghanistan will play under Ibrahim Zadran.
India starts as the stronger side on paper, but Afghanistan’s growing T20 experience makes the contest far from straightforward.
Several Afghan players regularly compete in major franchise competitions around the world.
That experience becomes particularly valuable in Delhi, where conditions can bring spin and slower deliveries into play.
Sanju Samson creates India’s biggest selection question
Sanju Samson’s return creates one of India’s most interesting selection decisions.
India has several options for the opening positions.
Abhishek Sharma offers aggressive left-handed batting and can attack from the beginning of an innings.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provides another explosive option.
Samson, however, brings international experience, wicketkeeping ability and a proven capacity to score quickly against pace and spin.
Former India cricketer Vivek Razdan has publicly backed Samson to open.
The final decision rests with Shreyas Iyer and the team management.
That makes India’s opening combination one of the biggest talking points before the toss.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could get another major opportunity
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi remains one of the most closely watched young players in Indian cricket.
His aggressive batting has already created significant interest.
A place in the playing XI against Afghanistan would give him another opportunity to establish himself at international level.
However, fitting Samson, Abhishek and Sooryavanshi into the same top order could force India to adjust its batting structure.
Shreyas Iyer is expected to occupy a key middle-order position.
Tilak Varma gives India another left-handed option.
Consequently, balance rather than reputation could determine the final XI.
Jasprit Bumrah strengthens India’s attack
Jasprit Bumrah’s presence significantly strengthens India’s bowling resources.
Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran has acknowledged the threat posed by India’s leading fast bowler and indicated that his team has prepared specific plans for him.
Bumrah’s ability to operate with the new ball and at the death gives India enormous flexibility.
Arshdeep Singh provides a left-arm pace option.
Yash Thakur has joined the squad after Harshit Rana was ruled out.
Rana suffered a rectus femoris strain during match simulation on September 7 and will miss both the Afghanistan T20I series and the 2026 Asian Games.
Yash Thakur, who made his T20I debut during India’s Zimbabwe tour in July, now has another opportunity to push for a place.
India’s spin options create another selection puzzle
India also has considerable depth in spin.
Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are all available.
Selecting all four would leave the side unbalanced, so the conditions at Arun Jaitley Stadium will influence the final combination.
Varun offers mystery spin.
Bishnoi provides an attacking leg-spin option.
Axar strengthens the batting while delivering economical left-arm spin.
Washington adds off-spin and batting flexibility.
Afghanistan’s batting order contains players accustomed to facing quality spin, making India’s selection especially important.
Rashid Khan remains Afghanistan’s biggest weapon
For India, Rashid Khan remains the obvious threat.
The Afghanistan star has built a global reputation as one of T20 cricket’s most dangerous spin bowlers.
His quick leg-breaks and googlies can make scoring difficult through the middle overs.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman gives Afghanistan another high-quality spin option.
Noor Ahmad further strengthens that department.
Together, they give Afghanistan the ability to attack Indian batters with different varieties of spin.
Mohammad Nabi adds experience and another off-spin option.
Therefore, India’s middle order could face its toughest examination when Afghanistan’s spinners operate in tandem.
Afghanistan has dangerous batting options too
Afghanistan cannot be viewed only as a bowling threat.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz can transform an innings during the powerplay.
Ibrahim Zadran provides greater stability at the top.
Azmatullah Omarzai has developed into an important all-round option.
Mohammad Nabi brings years of international experience.
Gulbadin Naib adds another flexible batting and bowling option.
Afghanistan will need those players to perform if it wants to put India’s bowling attack under sustained pressure.
India vs Afghanistan head-to-head record
India has historically dominated the T20I rivalry.
However, past results do not remove the danger Afghanistan presents in the shortest format.
Afghanistan’s improvement has been particularly visible in major ICC tournaments.
Its players now enter matches against leading teams with considerably more experience than earlier generations of Afghan cricketers.
India therefore cannot afford to treat the series as a routine assignment.
Delhi match survived postponement concerns
The opening T20I had faced uncertainty because Delhi is simultaneously hosting the BRICS Summit.
Security arrangements and VVIP movement created concerns about traffic and logistics around the national capital.
The Delhi & District Cricket Association subsequently confirmed that the match would proceed as scheduled.
DDCA said it received assurances of necessary support following discussions with Delhi Traffic Police.
That confirmation ended speculation about a possible postponement.
The issue remains relevant for spectators because extensive security arrangements are in place across parts of Delhi during the BRICS Summit.
Fans traveling to the stadium should therefore allow additional time for their journey.
Where is India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I being played?
The match will take place at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
All three matches in the series will use the same venue.
Playing consecutive games at one ground means both teams will have an opportunity to adapt quickly to conditions.
It could also make pitch management increasingly important as the series progresses.
What time does India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I start?
The India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I is scheduled for 7:00 PM IST on September 13.
The toss should take place shortly before the scheduled start, subject to official match procedures and conditions.
Fans should check the final broadcast schedule closer to match time in case of operational changes.
India vs Afghanistan live streaming and TV broadcast
Sony Sports Network holds television broadcast rights for the three-match series in India.
Digital streaming is available through FanCode.
Viewers should check their respective television and streaming services for the applicable channel, subscription and regional availability before the match.
India squad for Afghanistan T20I series
India’s updated squad includes:
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur.
The squad gives India multiple combinations across batting, pace and spin.
Afghanistan squad
Afghanistan’s available group features:
Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Nangeyalia Kharote, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sediqullah Atal, Noor Ahmad, Noor ul Rahman and Abdollah Ahmadzai.
Afghanistan’s spin depth remains one of the defining strengths of the squad.
India probable playing XI
India’s final XI will depend heavily on the opening combination and bowling balance.
A possible combination is:
Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma/Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Tilak Varma, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi/Yash Thakur.
This is a projected XI rather than a confirmed lineup.
The official team will become clear at the toss.
Afghanistan probable playing XI
Afghanistan could build its XI around:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (c), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi/Naveen-ul-Haq.
Again, the final combination will only be confirmed at the toss.
Three battles that could decide the match
The first major contest will involve India’s top order against Rashid Khan.
Indian batters who attack effectively without giving Rashid easy wickets could shift control of the middle overs.
Another key battle will feature Rahmanullah Gurbaz against Jasprit Bumrah.
Gurbaz likes to attack early, while Bumrah can remove aggressive openers before they settle.
The third contest revolves around India’s opening combination.
Whoever gets the opportunity alongside Abhishek Sharma will face pressure to make an immediate impact.
Why this series matters for India
The Afghanistan series offers more than three bilateral matches.
India continues to evaluate combinations ahead of future international assignments, including the Asian Games.
Competition for places remains intense.
Samson and Sooryavanshi are competing for opportunities.
India also has several spin options and multiple all-rounders.
Strong performances in Delhi could therefore influence selections beyond this series.
Why Afghanistan sees a major opportunity
Afghanistan has a chance to test itself against the world’s top-ranked T20I side.
Its bowling attack gives the team a genuine route into matches.
If Rashid, Mujeeb and Noor can control India’s batting through the middle overs, Afghanistan could create pressure.
The visitors will also need their top order to survive India’s pace attack.
Ibrahim Zadran’s leadership adds another storyline as Afghanistan looks for a breakthrough result against India.
What to watch before the toss
Three questions will dominate the hours before play.
First, does India open with Sanju Samson or Vaibhav Sooryavanshi alongside Abhishek Sharma?
Second, how many specialist spinners will India select?
Third, will Afghanistan field all of its major spin options?
Answers to those questions will reveal how both teams read the Delhi conditions.
For India, the series begins with experimentation but also considerable expectation.
For Afghanistan, it represents another opportunity to demonstrate how far its T20 cricket has progressed.
By Sunday evening, the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I should provide the first answers.
